Chain-link-forming machine.



0. L. HOFF & M. 0. REHFUSS.

CHAIN LINK FORMING MAGHINE. APPLICATION 'IILBD DEC. 1, 190B.

Patented Nov. 22,1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0 0 H NN "F ss Wihwooea \M m CJZWL 'INE NORRIS FETERS co., WASHINGTON. 0 c.

0. L. HOFF & M. 0. REHFUSS.

GHAIN LINK FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.1, 190B.

' Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

5 sums-sum 2.

rue NORRIS PETERS 50., WASHINGTON. D c.

C. L. HOPP & M. O. REHPUSS.

CHAIN LINK FORMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1, 1908.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

s sHnnTs snnsT s 0. L. HOFP & M. 0; REHFUSS;

CHAIN LINK FORMING MACHINE.

APYLIQATIUN TILED 13:60.1,1908.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

G. L. HOPF & M. 0. REHFUSS.

GRAIN LINK FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1130.1, 1909.

976,568. Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

' '5 sums-sum 5.

l U 1m @3 22 333% 3 54 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARLTON L. HOFF, 0F YORK, AND MARTIN O. REHFUSS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO STANDARD CHAIN COMPANY, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CHAIN-LINK-FORIVIING MACHINE.

Application filed December 1, 1908. Serial No. 465,527.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARLTON L. Horn, of York, York county, Pennsylvania, and MARTIN O. REHrUss, of Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ghain-Link-Forming Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to machines for forming links, etc., particularly chain links, from wire or long rods, the said links, etc., being of proper form for being subsequently welded as by an electric welding process, although they may be of a form to be utilized as open links, if so desired.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will be now described and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3-8, Fig. 1. Fig. 4L is a detail elevation of the nose of the guiding stop for positioning the blank. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the formers. Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing a link at different stages during its formation. Fig. 9 is a view of a link completely formed and ready to be closed and welded.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all of the views.

In the machine illustrated as an embodiment of the invention, the wire or rod is fed intermittently; at each intermission a section suflicient to form one link is cut off and by suitable instrumentalities, hereinafter designated generally as formers the ends of the section are bent into proper shape to form when brought together, one end of the link and as a subsequent step the section is bent centrally into proper shape to form the sides and other end of the link. As adjuncts to the formers, the machine embodies means for positioning the blank or severed section of wire or rod, both longitudinally and transversely to insure the proper cooperation of the formers therewith.

The working parts of the machine illustrated are carried by a bed plate A, having at one side and the back drive shafts B, B ournaled in bearings a and connected by bevel gears B Power is transmitted to the shaft B through a gear wheel B with which a pinion on the power shaft B is adapted to mesh.

The rod or wire C is preferably fed into the machine by a rotary segmental feeder D (Fig. 3) mounted on the shaft B and adapted to cooperate with a rotary and preferably concentric feeder D journaled below the shaft B. The feeders are connected for simultaneous rotation by gears D and it is obvious that the length of the gripping face of the segmental feeder will determine the length of rod or wire fed at each revolution of the shaft. From the feeders the leading end of the rod passes through a guideway in a cutter bearing E and is adapted to be severed into sections or blanks by an oscillatory cutter E mounted on a rock shaft E having an arm E cooperating with one arm of a bell crank lever E (Figs. 1 and 2). The other arm of lever E is provided with a pin or roller working in a groove cam E on the shaft B and the position of the cam \with relation to the feeder D is such that the cutter makes its operative stroke immediately after the feed movement of the rod has ceased.

At its forward end, the rod is adapted to be guided and positioned by a vertically movable guiding stop F (Figs. 3, 4L and 5) forming a continuation of a plunger F mounted in an adjustable bearing bracket F and adapted to be operated by a pair of toggle arms f from the intermediate bearing of which a connecting rod f extends to an eccentric f on the shaft B. The guiding stop is formed with a channel F in one side, as best shown in Fig. 5, which receives the end of the rod before the blank is severed and the walls of the channel are cut away on drops down in position to be acted on by the formers, being guided at one end by the guiding stop and at the other 'endbyjguides pg ('Fig."2),'but sh'ould'it catch or, 'for any reason, fail to drop at once, its downward movement is insured by a pair of depressing fingers G mounted on a rock shaft G operated by a lever G ,one arm of which cooperates with a projection G (Fig. 2) carried by a cam disk M on shaft 13.

The severed blank is received on the projecting ends 'h of the reci-proc-atory f-formers H, and is spo'sitioned longitudinally thereon with its end against 1 the :stop IF "by a positioning ,plunger K mounted "to slid'e in the lower portion of' the bearing E iandopenated by a mock shaft K, having arms 5K =K-:, the latter having a :roller bearing on the peripheral Cami-K Thesplunger i'sipreferably advanced by ispring Ki'i and retracted by the said cam, the parts being timed ito -position' the 'blank just: prior ito the :-gripping and forming =of' th'eisame, the iplun'ger rand Stop bOth biIlgWithdTiLWIl intimeto permit the end formers to act.

When:p'rojper-1 y positioned, the blank :lies between the reciprocatory formers -a'nd rotary formers :M. 'The formers are mounted yon or "constitute :parts 10f slide 1H mounted in ways -H :ons-the rbedwandvreciprocate'd byt'oggl'earms H At'their! out er ends the"toggle arms H are 'connected' with a rock shaft Ht, having an arm provided with'zaroller or-.gproje'c'tion working :in -a cam grooved in a camdisk I-I. The formers'rH are grooved -at'h to receive the blank, and are ofrproper shape 'to conform to the shape of' Pth'e 'end bends of the 'blaiik as shown in Fig.7.

The rotary "or angularly 'mov'a'ble rend formers comprise agrooved rollers M, ijournaledeceentrically: on theends :of "vertically arranged carriers M, j'ourna-led iinabearings in th'e' be'd and having "crankiarms *M atfthe lowerends from which connecting rods--M extendtoEtheHOWer ends-Of leverscM shaving roller-s 'or projections m at the :upper "ends working in camr'groovesrv 5 in thecam disks M mounted on the sha ft :B. p

. :Before: the rotar'yor angularly movable end; formers the effective portion of 1 their movement, the blank is clamped at the center between vreciprocatory "center formers or" clamps N and-N,:the clamp N being advanced sli htly before the cooperating clamp N. lamp N lis operated by an "arm N (Fig. on the iend-of a rock shaft -'N "and the latter its opposite end carr-iesfan arm :N with w'hi'ch one arm of a bellvcrank lever 1N (Figs. land 3) "cooperateythe oppos'ite arm' of said -bell crankslever- N being provided *with arol'ler or: ro'ecti'on n workin in a: roove camN on theshaift *B.

* Clamp is; a former in that: the center bend of the link is made around its forward end, for which purpose it is preferably of the shape'shown in Fig. 2, z. 0., with a recess or undercut at n into which the bent ends of the link may project.

Movement is imparted to the clamp N through a link a connected with one arm of a bell crank lever n, the other arm of said lever being provided with a roller or projection a working in a groove 11 (Fi '2) in a cam disk n" (Fig. 1) on the shaft The cams for operating the clamps N, N are shaped to'first bring the clamps together, as shown in Fig. 7, and then to move the clamps in unison, and 'while still holding the blank, 'towardthe right in Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8,the latter movement of the clamps taking place after the rotary end formers have bent the ends of the blank around the formers Hand have moved out of engagement therewith and 'the formers 'H have re treated rfar'enough to relieve the blank. As the rotary formers M begin to move the adjustable side formers advance into position forzgiving the center bend to the blank when thelatter is forced through between them, "said side formers embodying rollers O journaledi ontheends oflevers O, angularly adjustable and held by clamp screws Q on slide 0 working in ways O' on the bed. The slide 0 and side formers are operated by crankarms O on'rock shaft 0 through intermediate links O. The shaft (J -is oscillated-bya crank arm'O having a roller :or :projectionworking in agroove cam O on the shaft B.

Inoperation, the positioning devices including the blank depressing fingers, the

' plungeriK and theguiding stop F arewithdrawn when the formers'begintomake their effective "movements, although the blank may Ihavebeen previously pressed against the rotary formers by the advance of the formers H, and if-dcsired gripped between the':clamps .N and N .Assoon' as the formers [H are in position and the "center of the blank is supported by the cIamps N, N, the "angularly movable formers bend .theends of the blank'around the'formersH, as indicated in F '7, the continued movementofithe angularly movable formers carryingthem out of engagementwith the said ends. During the forward movement of'the rotary formers the sideformers 0 move up into operative position, 'where they remain untilthe link is forced back' between ithem.

The-sides of the link are bent into position by the simultaneous movement of the clamps N and N which begins when the 'ends :of the blank are released from the formers M :and H, thereby carrying or transferring the blank bodily through between the nowstationary side formers O, as shown ii-n :Fig. .8. Theformers O are set to cause the ends of the blank to approach. each other as closely as desired, usually so as to leave just suflicient space for the admission of another link. The ends of the link having been brought together below the former N the latter retreats from the clamp N and the link is free to drop from the machine.

During the final forming movement of the link the end formers are returning to first position, and the former N releases the link during the initial portion of its movement toward first position. Inasmuch as this return movement is rapid and the new section of rod may be fed while the re turn movement is taking place, there is little time when the formers are idle and consequently successive links may be formed with great rapidity. With the machine shown a link is formed at each revolution of the shafts.

By varying the curvature of the formers H and N links of any desired width and end curvature may be formed, and hence the machine is adapted for the formation of links for various uses when it is desired to have the opening or Weld at the end, rather than in one side of the link.

Having thus described the invention, What we claim is:

1. A chain link forming machine embodying a pair of reciprocatory formers around which the ends of the blank are bent and a pair of angularly movable formers pivoted on fixed axes and cooperating with said reciprocatory formers to simultaneously bend the ends of the blank and cooperating intermediate formers for bending the blank into link form.

2. A chain link forming mechanism embodying means for holding a substantially straight blank, angularly movable formers cooperating with and moving around the ends of the blank to bend said ends in the same direction and move out of engagement therewith and means for moving the blank between and out of engagement with the angularly movable formers, and means independent of said formers for imparting an intermediate bend to the blank for bringing the bent ends into proximity.

3. A chain link forming machine embodying oppositely arranged reciprocatory formers around which the ends of a blank may be bent, angularly movable formers mounted eccentrically on fixed axes and adapted to travel around the ends of the first mentioned formers to bend the ends of the blank in the same direction, and means for clamping the blank centrally while its ends are being bent and for moving the same bodily away from said end formers, and side formers between which the blank is moved for bringing the bent ends of the blank into proximity.

4:. A chain link forming machine embodying cooperating reciprocatory'and angularly movable formers mounted on fixed axes for bending opposite ends of the blank simultaneously in the same direction, side formers and reciprocatory clamping formers with means for moving the same toward and from each other to clamp and release the blank and for moving the reciprocatory clamping formers in unison in one direction to carry the blank bodily away from said end formers and between the side formers, whereby its bent ends are brought into proximity.

5. A chain link forming machine embodying separated end formers and separated reciprocatory side formers movable toward and from the end formers, and intermediate reciprocatoryclamping formers movable past the side formers for transferring the blank from the end formers through and beyond the side formers.

6. A chain link forming machine embodying separated reciprocatory and angularly movable end formers and separated adjustable reciprocatory side formers and intermediate reciprocatory clamping formers for transferring the blank from the end formers through and beyond the side formers.

7 A chain link forming machine embodying an intermittently acting rod feeding mechanism, a cutter for severing the rod into blanks, reciprocatory end formers movable, projections for receiving the severed blanks, angularly movable end formers mounted eccentrically on fixed axes and adapted to travel around the ends of the reciprocatory formers to simultaneously bend the ends of the blank, and intermediate formers for bending the blank centrally to bring the ends into proximity.

8. A chain link forming machine embodying an intermittently acting rod feeding mechanism, a cutter for severing the rod into blanks, reciprocatory end formers having projections movable therewith for receiving the blank, angularly movable end formers mounted eccentrically of their axes and adapted to travel around the ends of the reciprocatory formers to simultaneously bend the ends of the blank and reciprocatory side and center formers for bending the blank centrally to bring the ends into proximity.

9. A chain link forming machine embodying an intermittently acting rod feeding mechanism, a cutter for severing the rod into blanks, fingers for depressing the severed blank movable, projections for receiving the depressed blank, reciprocatory end formers around which the ends of the blank are bent, angularly movable formers mounted eccentrically of their axes and adapted to travel around the ends of the first mentioned formers, side formers fixed with relation to each other and center blank clamping formers movable between the end and side formers with means for operating said formers.

10. In a chain link forming machine, the

combination with the-end and intermediate formers and'means for operating the same, of a reciprocatory guiding stop. against which the end of the blank is positioned preliminary to the operation of the formers, and: a plunger for positioning the; blank against thestop.

ll. Ina chain link forming machine, the combination with the end and intermediate formers and meansfor operating thesame, of the vertically movable guiding stop and the horizontally movable plunger between which the blank is positioned preliminary to the action of the formers.

12. In a chain link forming machine, thecombination with the end and intermediate formers andmeans for operatingthe same, of the. guiding stop against whichthe blank is positioned, a spring pressed plunger for moving the blank against the stop and means for withdrawing the plunger againstthe, tension of'its spring.

l3. Ina chain linkformingmachine, the

combination with the end and intermediate formersand means for operating the same, of the reciprocatory guiding stop against which the blank is positioned, a springpressed plunger for moving the blank againstthe stop and means for withdrawing the plunger and stop from the paths of the formers during the operation of the latter.

14. In a chain link forming machine, the combination with the end and side formers, of center clamping formers one of which is provided with-a. blank engaging end face and a recess in rear of its blank engaging face forthe admission of the bent ends 01' the blank.

15. In a chain link forming machine, the combination with the formers and a rod feeding and cutting mechanism, of vertically arranged guides between which the cut blank is free to drop from the cutter to the formers and depressing fingers G for the purpose described.

CARLTON L. HOFF. MARTIN O. REHFUSS. Witnesses:

F RANK N. WARNER, BRONTE GREENWOOD, Jr. 

